Diaper Duty
by ggirl1710
Summary: When Rod finally agrees to babysit a co-worker's five-year-old for the weekend, his and Nicky's weekend are in for activities like watching movies, going to the park, and eating ice cream with little Mark. Oh, and it wouldn't be a Rod/Nicky story if Rod's not going through internal conflicts about his feelings for Nicky.
1. Chapter One

Chapter One: Shy Little Boy

"Babysit?", Nicky incredulously asked Rod, becoming shocked when his roommate broke the news that they were to babysit Rod's co-worker's five-year old for the weekend. He wasn't happy. "Oh hell no!"

Rod crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Well too bad, Nicholas.", he told him. "I had already said yes after Derek kept pestering me about it, and just to shut him up I agreed."

"Why did he have to ask you though, of all people?", Nicky complained.

"Because he's a great guy and he and I use to share a office before I got upgraded to a higher position. I've met his wife before and, to my dismay, she's very beautiful. They just bought a home in Avenue Q and I'm the only one they know here."

"But we don't know anything about babysitting, you know that Rod.", Nicky argued. "We've said that we'll wait until Brian and Christmas Eve or Kate and Princeton have a kid for us to babysit for, and that hasn't happened yet!"

Rod was becoming irritated with Nicky's whining. "Oh will you stop it, Nicky? We'll learn on the job. I know you and I don't like the thought of babies being around us but we gotta try new things." To make his stubborn friend think differently Rod promised to split their paid cash in half after the job is done.

Nicky grumbled and said, "Alright then. At least I won't ask you for money."

"And maybe you'd have that money for a long time if you'd learn to save it.", Rod bickered. "Now hurry up and get dress. Derek and Angelica will be here in five minutes with Mark."

"The son's name is Mark? Wow, just like that dweeb from that RENT musical that you were obsessed with for a while.", Nicky teased. "No wonder you said yeah."

"Oh fuck off!", Rod groaned as he threw up his hands. Nicky laughed as he walked to their shared bedroom, avoiding a pillow that Rod threw to wipe the smile off of that man child's face. "And if you're going to shave, don't cut yourself like last time."

However, even though Nicky's 5 o'clock shadow made him look like a homeless slouch, Rod did put it in his mental list of Features That Make Nicky Irresistible. It was #5.

* * *

Five minutes went by sooner and there was a knock at their apartment's door. Rod took a deep breath, brushed his clothes and turned the knob, giving Derek and Angelica Anderson a welcoming hello. Their son Mark stood right below Rod and when the investment banker saw him a smile formed on Rod's face, crouching down or be at the five-year-old's height.

"Hi there, Mark.", Rod greeted the five-year-old, putting out his hand. "My name's Rod. I'm your daddy's friend. Oh you're such a cute little boy!"

The young sprout just stared at Rod as he sucked his thumb, not shaking Rod's hand and stayed close to his daddy. "He's very shy at first when meeting new people.", Derek said. "But he might open up later."

"How precious.", Rod answered back. "I was a shy one myself."

"And he still is.", Nicky included as he walked up from behind Rod, still goofing around as he continued to push Rod's buttons. "It's hard to get the guy to flirt with another dude."

Rod sighed and said, "Right. This is my roommate, Nicky, and he's going to watch Mark with me as well. Aren't you?" Rod gave Nicky a no-nonsense glare and Nicky understood.

"Sure 'am.", Nicky said. "Whatever he does, I do. We're as close as buddies can get." The dark haired man looked down at little Mark and pretty much beamed like Rod did. "Hey there lil' dude! You must be the little guy we're suppose to sit, huh? Don't you look like a fun, fella!"

Mark didn't show emotion, just staring up at the green man. "Did I so something weird that he's just looking at me?", Nicky asked the parents.

"He's shy.", Angelica, the mother, said.

"Oh a shy one, eh?", the green complexed male said. "Well looks like this babysitting thing will be easier than I thought."

The proud parents realized that they had to get to the airport for their flight to Florida. They left the babysitters each of their numbers and others to call for emergencies, of course, and what not, then it came for them to say goodbye to their son, which became hard to do because that's when Mark began to show an emotion, sadness as he cried.

When Rod shut the door he and Nicky had to find a way to cheer the boy up. "Don't cry, Mark. They'll be back soon.", Nicky said as he, well at least try to, picked the crying young boy up.

He had no idea that the lil' guy could really pack a punch and he let an unseen hand fly and Mark slapped Nicky's face, throwing a bigger tantrum.

"He...he hit me!", Nicky gasped.

"Well first of all, did you even have the thought that maybe he didn't want his personal space be invaded by a complete stranger?", Rod wise cracked, even though he was surprised that a shy five-year-old could really smack 'em. "Here, let me try to calm him down before Gary starts banging down the door."

Mark's parents had left them a bag of toys and kid DVD's that Mark could play with during his stay. Rod reached into this sack and pulled out one of Mark's stuffed animals, a snow owl.

"Lookie here, Marky!", Rod said to Mark over his sobs for Mommy and Daddy. "Here's your buddy, Mr. Owl!"

Mark looked at the one with his doll and, like a miracle, he began to turn off the waterworks. He waddled to Rod as the investment banker began to put on a cartoony voice. "Hey there, Mark. As long as you be good little bot and have me around, everything will be ok."

Mark began to form a small smile as he watched his stuffed owl be played around by Rod. Just when the child claimed his toy Rod turned to Nicky, who was sitting in their sofa with a can of beer, and grinned teasingly. Nicky rolled his eyes. "Sure. Rub it in.", he drawled.

"You just don't know how to make a first impression, Nicholas.", Rod retort.

The proud individual's bubble of victory was soon popped when he felt a toy owl be thrown at his face, knocking his glasses off his face. Mark was giggling merrily and soon Nicky did the same. Rod's smirk turned to a straight line.

"You were saying?", Nicky guffawed.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: We Could Live Like Jack and Sally

Around noon things were starting to get in a good-terrible balance for Rod and Nicky. They have succeeded on getting Mark to stop his fussing about his mom and dad, but when the duo would give Mark more of his toys to play with while they sat with him, he would throw the objects at them.

They were at least thankful that the dolls were just soft.

Next was trying to feed Mark, which was a hassle as well. He didn't want to eat his snacks or the foods that his parents packed for him, so the duo had to rely on their own food.

Since they don't have a high chair for Mark, they had to give him a pillow to sit on when they all sat at the small table their apartment's kitchen. Rod and Nicky watched as Mark, thankfully, gobbled up the ham and cheese sandwich that Rod prepared for him, then Mark drank up the warm glass of milk.

Rod and Nicky looked at each other and sighed, pleased that they gave the child something that he'd actually eat. They felt that they were going to do just fine with just the two of them and the five-year-old.

At least, Rodney and Nicholas had the idea that they did. They still had the rest of today, tomorrow, and Sunday.

"Mo-vie!", Mark said. "Mo-vie!"

"You want to watch a movie?", Rod asked, pretending that the boy didn't say it before to test Mark.

"Ya ya! Mo-vie!" Mark clapped his little hands and jumped in his seat, cracking a smile. Rod and Nicky started to giggle at the adorable sight. Mark literally hopped off the large-for-him chair and scurried to the bag that had his own movies, finding one he would like to watch at the moment. He got the DVD and waddled back to his babysitters.

"JackSally! JackSally!", Mark blurted out as he showed them the DVD case for _The Nightmare Before Christmas._

It actually shocked Rod and Nicky that this five-year-old requested to watch such a film, and it had actually been so long ago that they've seen the film. Taking it as a way to not only do something else with Mark but to go back to Nostalgia Lane. They were only fifteen-years-old when both first saw the movie.

* * *

Watching the movie resulted in Mark just coloring and scribbling on blank pieces of paper and Rod and Nicky really paying attention. The two sat on that old beat up couch, feeling so young again as their hearts warmed up as they watched the soft moments of Jack Skellington and Sally.

Rod, all of a sudden, now remembered why he had loved this movie when he was a Sophomore in high school, more than Nicky could say that he, himself, liked it. Rod was quick to see Sally's yearning to be with Jack, but Jack wouldn't see her desire for him at first.

Rod more than understood Sally's conflict, he lives a replica of it to this very day, as he keeps his hidden feelings for Nicky so on the low. As he observes how Sally shows hints of anything more than friendship to Jack, Rod feels like it's his life put in a stop motion film with a rag doll portraying him.

No. Sally isn't Rod. Rod is Sally.

As the scene where Sally sings her song after Jack takes off into the night disguised as "Sandy Claws" begins, after she bid her secret sweetheart a sorrowful goodbye, Rod began to get teary eyed, relating to every word in Sally's song, mentally joining her in a duet.

_And does he notice my feelings for him.  
And will he see, how much he means to me?  
I think it's not to be._

_...and will we ever end up...together?  
Me and Nicky?_

_...no, I think not. It's never to become...for I am not the one._

Rod soon felt a tear fall on his cheek and he knew at once that he had to get out of the room. He got up and excused himself to the bathroom, where he closed the door and stood in front of the mirror, crying.

_You fucking pussy, _he told himself_, you're crying because of a freaking kids movie. Get a fucking grip on yourself! You're not that confused 15 year old anymore. You're a grown ass man!_

Soon minutes went past him and he knew he had to get out and face reality. Rod returned just as the movie was at its final scene, where Jack finally sees Sally more as a friend.

"Oh I remember this part.", Nicky declared. "He goes up the hill and they sing together, right? Yeah, that's it. They end up together."

Rod's heart did summersaults. That's right! Jack and Sally sing together on the hill and...they...

Rod watched as Jack and Sally finished their duet, and the hero and heroine of the film end it with a kiss so distant from the audiences' eyes. When Rod saw this he felt sparks ignite through his body.

It's possible! It could happen!

"Wow. That was a cute little movie.", Nicky said. "I remember why you liked it better than me, Rod."

Rod didn't say a word. He was still enthusiastic inside.

"Rod, buddy? You hear me?"

"O-oh yeah.", Rod said as he came back from his daydreaming. "I remember exactly."

"Boy, those were the good ol' days, huh?", Nicky said. "This movie came out when we were Sophomores in high school! Damn, we're old!"

"Well, we're not exactly much of Spring chickens anymore, Nicky, but we're not Grandfather Clock either."

Nicky let out a laugh, and he was led to wonder something. "I wonder what it'll be like to grow old with you."

That made Rod's heart flip again, and he blushed. "Well, it could be like the present time, I suppose, except we'll be all old and wrinkly and...bleh."

"Of course you'd be the one to worry about how grotesque we'll look, but just think. We'd be together 'till the end, like Bonnie and Clyde!"

Rod fixed him a disconcerted glare. "Nicky, Bonnie and Clyde were fugitives, and they were _killed_ together."

"But they _died_ together, though.", Nicky pointed out, smiling a usual smile that Rod also listed in his Features That Make Nicky Irresistible list.

Rod thought about that statement, and he realized that it's a fact, and he smiled too, feeling butterflies in his abdomen.

Yeah, he thought, they did.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Kiss Me?

Nicky didn't acknowledge the idea of letting Mark sleep in his bed during his stay, but then again, he wouldn't have the five year old sleep on their couch either. Hell, even Nicky wasn't up for sleeping on that thing like he'd always do when he and Rod get into daily nasty arguments.

So where did Nicholas sleep that first night? Where there is another bed in the apartment, but he had to rely on sharing, which didn't really bother him.

As Nicky slept like a rock on his side of Rod's bed, Rod lay in the dark room, just listening to the snores of both Nicky and Mark. His heart kept a normal beat, even with Nicky literally next to him, inches away. Rod turned his head to the slumbering man, debating on whether he should proceed with what he wished to do.

"He wouldn't suspect a thing would he?", Rod whispered to himself. "He's out of it, he's a heavy sleeper."

At that moment, he decided to just go for it, now feeling his heartbeat get quicker and harder. Rod leaned forward, taking a deep breath, and gently pressed his lips to Nicky's. When nothing happened, Rod pressed his lips harder, then locked his entire mouth to Nicky's.

To be brave, Rod ran his fingers through his best friend's messy hair, enjoying the tickling feeling of Nicky's 5 o'clock shadow on Rod's chin.

Rod wanted to move Nicky's jaw just a little bit to sneak his tongue in, but Nicky suddenly began to stir, which made Rod pull away quickly, his heart beating quicker than ever.

He waited for Nicky to wake up and holler at him like a pissed off cat if he found Rod to be too close to him, realizing that he was kissing him without Nicky's knowing, but nothing like that happened. Nicky just kept on sleeping like a baby, or five year kid as Mark was sleeping in the other bed in the room.

Rod was relieved. So relieved that he proceeded in kissing Nicky's face like no tomorrow. He had to take the opportunities that he was given, he'd be damned if he didn't take it, he can't pass them up.

Now Rod felt a spark of sudden lust ignite through his body. He moaned softly and he slid a hand under Nicky's pajama shirt, feeling the hair on his chest, reaching to press a nipple...but didn't go any further, and he stopped his smooching.

He couldn't do this, not to Nicky, not to their friendship, not to himself. This could turn into rape if he continued, Rod thought, and he couldn't do anything like that. He wouldn't!

Rod began to get quite emotional and cried silently as he turned his body away from Nicky, pulling the covers over himself. It pained him so bad that he's so in love with Nicky, but he couldn't tell him or anyone.

Nicky's straight and Rod would just have to accept it, like Nicky accepts Rod being gay.

* * *

Kate stopped by to have a cup of morning coffee with the two friends and when she saw little Mark she had the crazy idea that Rod and Nicky adopted overnight and they didn't say anything to the residents.

"No no!", Rod assured her. "He's my co-worker's. We're just babysitting him until his parents get back."

"Oh don't be all defensive, honey. I know that little walking ray of Sunshine ain't yours.", Kate Monster said. "I was only kidding. Besides, you would've said something about it, but of course you need to find your Prince Charming before you could get an heir to your Periwinkle throne."

Kate then glanced at Nicky from the corner of her eye, he was paying no attention at all to the two's conversation as he was watching Saturday morning cartoons with Mark.

"Or maybe you have _found_ your prince, but, yet, you don't actually _have_ him." If there could be one or two friends out of everyone on Avenue Q that Rod can reveal his secrets to, it would actually be Christmas Eve first as she is a therapist. But if Christmas Eve wasn't available, there's Kate Monster.

Rod whined and said, "If there's anything I want to say to him, it's that I'm in love with him, more than anything."

"I understand." Kate's always willing to help her friends. "I know how you could get the thought across his thick skull; take Mark to the park with Nicky. Have him help you play with Mark and then he'll see how great you guys take care of a child. Soon he'll say, _Rod, I've been a fool. Marry me and we'll start a family of our own!_"

Rod let out a, rather, girly giggle at the idea, but he knew that Nicky was slow at picking up clues. However, the day looks perfect for a day at the public park, and it's good to at least try.

* * *

"Push the swing for me, Rod! Push me!", Mark said as he ran to the swings of children's playground of the public park. The little guy sat himself in a swing and smiled up at Rod.

"Ok, ready?", the investment banker said as he began to push Mark gently. "I'm only going to stop when you say so." Rod push Mark higher and stopped when the boy let out merry Wee's.

Rod stood back and began to have an amused grin as he watched the little boy have the time of his life. He glanced back at Nicky who was sitting on a bench. He had to be promised that they were to get ice cream after the park to agree to come along. Rod took his place next to Nicky on the cold wooden bench, both watching Mark.

"You seem to do a fine job with the kid.", Nicky said, chuckling. "You could say that I'm jealous that he asked you to push him."

"Why be jealous? You watched cartoons with him. Isn't that something, Nicky?"

"Well, yeah, but..." Nicky realized that he had no point of argument here.

"Ha! I win.", Rod said. "Tell you what, why don't you push him next, and partake in other activities with us so that way we both have our share."

"Are you saying I don't do enough?", Nicky catechized.

"Well, you do such little tasks for him like make him a bowl of cereal in the morning, and...that's pretty much all you did for him, Nicky.", Rod retort. "I'm the only one that really does things for him: give him a bath, dress him, comb his hair. You should be at least glad I didn't overdo it."

"Like you.", Nicky snort.

Mark began to slow down and he beckoned to Rod to be pushed again. "How about you let Nicky push you this time." He nudged Nicky's arm as a sign that it's his turn, and Nicky finally got up.

He gave Mark a hard push that almost made Mark fall off, and Rod groaned. "Gently, Nicky. You almost blew him off!"

"Well how else should I get him to go high, Rod?", Nicky complained.

Of course Nicky would do this, Rod thought. He got up and made his to them. "You have to start off by swinging him gently first, like this." Rod put his hands to the chains of the swing, pulled it back just a bit, instructed Mark to kick up his legs when it's time, and he let him go. "If he wants to go a little bit higher on his own, he just kicks up his legs like that. Now you try, but go-"

"Gently. I get it, Rod.", Nicky groaned, annoyed at Rod's anal nagging. When Mark swung back Nicky pushed him gently back, eyeing Rod to see if he was doing the job right.

Rod nodded. "Yeah. Perfect."

Nicky began to smile as Mark laughed along, feeling completely jubilant as he felt pleased that he's playing with Mark with Rod next to him to help him. "This is nice, this is cute."

Rod watched as Nicky kept beaming as he pushed Mark over and over, and Mark seemed to be enjoying the fun. Looks like Kate's advice could really work after all.

Nicky just has to see it.

Rod then wondered if Nicky suspected anything last night, if he caught him in his act when Nicky was suppose to be sleeping. "How'd you sleep?", Rod asked him softy.

"Oh I slept great! I would've never thought your bed would be like a cloud.", Nicky said.

"Nicky, my mattress is the same as yours."

"Exactly!"

Rod rolled his eyes. "How about dreaming? Any nightmares, or more of your obnoxious wet dreams."

There was this one dream, Nicky thought. "Well, I think it was a dream, but you were kissing me."

Rod felt his heart drop to his toes, and he fearfully gulped. "Really? That's crazy."

"You know, when I got up this morning, that's what I thought, but..."

"But?"

"I keep thinking about it more and more and...well, I don't really know how to describe it."

"But, do you think it's disgusting, the thought of kissing me?", Rod fearfully asked.

"I...I don't know."

"I think it'd be silly if you kiss each other.", Mark giggled.

"Silly, huh?", Nicky said. "Heh, maybe kiddo."

Yeah, silly, Rod thought.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Because You're Mine, I Walk the Line

All three were now back in Rod and Nicky's apartment, eating their Blizzards from Dairy Queen and watching TV. "Did you have fun today?", Rod asked Mark, who was on the floor coloring on paper again with his DQ cup beside him.

"Yeah.", the little boy said.

"What was your favorite part?"

"The swings and ice cream.", Mark said.

"Oh, so you have two favorite parts.", Nicky said.

"Yeah. They were fun. Can we do this again tomorrow?"

"We don't know, Mark.", Rod said. "Your mom and dad come back tomorrow, and we don't know when."

"Oh, ok then.", Mark said. "I wish I can stay more."

"You like it here, in this tiny apartment?", Nicky catechized. "You're crazy."

"No, not the apartment. But I like you both."

The banker and slouch both raised their brows. "You like us more than this little apartment?", Rod questioned. "Why's that?"

"Because you're so nice to me, like my mommy and daddy. You take care of me good like a mommy and daddy.", Mark said. "You two can be good daddies."

This made Nicky smile, but it made Rod feel on cloud nine anymore than made his heart sink.

"Done!", Mark exclaimed. He finished both of his drawings and he handed them to the friends for them to see.

Boy, if Mark's compliment and these two drawings didn't make Rod blush redder than blood and his hair color combined, Lordy, nothing else will! One of the papers before the roommates contained the three of them as smiling stick figures, with Rod's head blue with glasses and red hair, Nicky's green with black messy scribbles, and Mark's yellow with brown curls. On the top of the paper had the phrase Lik A Famile in quotation marks.

"That's all off us!", Mark said. "We're smiling together like a family!"

"We can see.", Nicky said. "Looks awesome, lil' dude."

"Y-yeah, great.", Rod muttered ever so quietly.

"Look at the next one! Look look!", Mark said.

The second one most definitely made Rod's heart do Olympic backflips, as it had him and Nicky as smiling stick figures again, but this time, it was just them. It seemed like they were holding hands, and there was an enormous red scribbled heart above them.

The top said "Silly and Cute Luv" with arrows that pointed to "Rod" and "Niky".

Rod was lost for words, therefore not being able to form a sentence, so Nicky spoke. "Woah. This is pretty adorable, you gotta admit."

"You like them?", Mark said.

"Yeah! Thanks, bud."

"You like it, Rod?", the boy asked Rod.

"I...I thought you said it'd be silly for us to kiss or do anything like this.", Rod said.

"It is silly, but it's cute too. You two are cute as friends than how other friends are. I think you like each other!"

Rod was so bowled over at the young boy's words that he literally choked on his ice cream before he could eventually swallow the chilled treat. He proceeded to blush as Nicky and Mark glared at Rodney Periwinkle, as if he were to be a grotesque extraterrestrial.

"Jeez, Rod. What's gotten into you?", Nicky said. "He's just saying-"

"I know what he said, Nicky!", Rod exclaimed.

"Well I don't think he intended for you to get all worked up over it. He's just a kid, for God's sake!"

"W-who says I'm getting worked up?", Rod defended. "I'm not. I-I just happened to have my ice cream go down the wrong pipe. I'm okay." Rod hoped that his lying state won't stand out, he stutters when he lies.

"S-so you're not mad at me, Rod?", Mark innocently asked.

Rod, with a sigh, keeping his cool, said, "No. I'm not mad."

"Are you sure?"

Not really feeling the necessary need to lie to a five-year-old or be upset with one when he really didn't do any harm, Rod said that he's sure.

"So do you like the pictures?", Mark asked him.

Rod cracked a smile. "Certainly."

"How much?"

Rod made a heart with his hands and put them to his chest. "This much."

* * *

Rod actually finds it very enjoyable to wash himself while singing his favorite show tunes, and he decided to keep doing so when he gave Mark another bath. While Rod mostly favors to sing songs from his favorite musicals like Wicked and The Producers, he happened to be singing a different type of genre of music than what he's use to. He doesn't even take a liking to country or folk songs, but he happened to be listening to one particular song the other day and the whole lyrics and rhythm were in his head.

"I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.  
I keep my eyes wide open all the time.  
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds.  
Because you're mine, I walk the line.", he sang.

Nicky stayed put on the sofa watching Cops, then every while, he'd stare at Mark's two drawings. He'd especially glare at the one of Rod and him the most. It is cute, Nicky thought, but...does Mark really think we're cute?

Oh what does he know? He's a kindergartner!

"I find it very, very easy to be true.  
I find myself alone when each day is through.  
Yes, I will admit that I'm a fool for you.  
Because you're mine, I walk the line.", Rod kept singing.

Nicky then wondered. "Why did Rod get all upset earlier? I know he was lying, he ain't really spiffy at it." He realized that this drawing was inspired by Rod asking Nicky would be disgusted if he'd kiss him, and that was brought up because of Nicky's dream!

"Does Rod...he...does he like me?"

"As sure as night is dark and day is light,  
I keep you on my mind both day and night.  
And happiness I've known proves that it's right.  
Because you're mine, I walk the line."

Nicky wasn't sure how to react. He was lost for words. "All these years, ever since college, he's had a crush on me?! O-oh...oh shit.", Nicholas muttered under his breath. "Mark even said that we're like his mom and dad when he watch him. That kid can see it even!"

"You've got a way to keep me on your side.  
You give me cause for love that I can't hide.  
For you I know I'd even try to turn the ties.  
Because you're mine, I walk the line."

"Can I love Rod back? Do I feel the same? I...I've never loved another man before! H-How could I love him?!" All these thoughts kept zipping through Nicky's head as he panicked. He then thought that maybe he wasn't dreaming, that Rod really did kiss him during the sleeping hours.

"I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.  
I keep my eyes wide open all the time.  
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds.  
Because you're mine, I walk the line."

"Come on, Nicky.", he told himself. "Think. Did you like it, if it was a dream? How would you feel if you kissed Rod?" Oh what was Nicky doing, shoving his own questions down his throat. He wouldn't know how he'd feel.

Unless...

"I forgot your towel, Mark. I'll be right back.", Rod said.

Nicky could hear Rod get up and walk over the bedroom. Nicky hurried up to the room, and he stood at the doorway, watching Rod get Mark's towel. His heart was pounding with suspense and anxiety.

Rod turned around to see Nicky standing there at the doorway, becoming startled like he's just seen an apparition. "Christ, Nicky!", Rod shrieked. "You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing just standing there?"

Nicky opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. He was too nervous. Rod gave him a perplexed glare. "What's wrong, Nicky?"

Nicky knew he had to get it over with. He felt his own feet forcing him to walk forward. Then, he was there, standing millimeters away from Rod.

He closed his eyes and put his lips to Rodney's.

Rod's eyes flew open wide in shock. His heart was racing, his pulse was pumping. Nicky then put his hands to his friend's cheeks, kissing him more passionately. Ok, so Nicky liked this kiss. Rod's lips are so sweet, so inviting. His mouth's so minty, which is because Rod brushes his teeth after every time he eats something.

As for Rod, he didn't know wether to kiss Nicholas back like he's always dreamed of, or push away due to being paranoid.

He pushed away. "N-Nicky! What are you doing?!", Rod yelped in a high voice.

"Rod, remember that dream I had last night, about kissing you? Well I think I do like you, and I think I do like kissing you."

"Nicky, I don't have time for-"

"And I know that you like me too!", Nicky said.

"Nicky!", Rod exclaimed.

"Rod, come on. Mark even thinks that we can be something more than friends.", Nicky reasoned.

"He's only five, Nicholas!", Rod argued back. "Children don't think twice about what they say. Their minds wander. They don't understand the difference between the world of a child and the real world!"

"So you're saying that I'm wrong?", Nicky quizzed him. "You're saying that you're not in love with me? I just kissed you for nothing?"

Rod began to get teary eyed, his emotions were running wild. He wanted to run from Nicky, but he couldn't argue with what was true to him. "How can you say that you love me? You're not gay."

Nicky really couldn't argue with Rod on that. He only forced himself to kiss Rod, and damn, he liked it! On the other hand, Nicky's dated women, and those relationships have ever worked out. So how can Nicky really know when he's actually in love?

His answer was, "I just know it, I guess."

Rod wasn't impressed. He shook his head. "Well I'll admit this to you, Nicky. I am in love with you, but unlike you, I actually know what I'm talking about."

"Of course you do, Rod. You kissed me during my sleep."

Rod got choked up. "I-I thought you said it was a dream?"

"I have a feeling that you really did kiss me.", Nicky backfired.

Rod inhaled and then exhaled heavily. He didn't want to give up so easily, but Nicky's glare and words made him admit that it was all true. "Ok. I did kiss you, but what if I didn't. Would you say that you're in love with me still, if you think you are in love with me?"

This made Nicky be silenced at last. The answer to the question is that he did not know. He didn't really put any thought to it. He was speechless.

"Rod?", Mark suddenly called. "I'm cold."

Rod sighed, realizing that he left to get Mark's towel to dry him off. "Coming.", he called back. He began to walk pass Nicky, not saying a word to him. Nicky's silence was enough for an answer to his question.

Rod returned to Mark in the bathroom, seeing Mark warming himself with his arms. "I'm so sorry for the wait, Mark. Nicky and I were just having a little discussion."

"You two were fighting.", Mark said.

Chills of surprise zipped down Rod's spine. "F-Fighting? No no! We-" Rod wasn't allowed to go any further. He suddenly heard the front door slam shut. He couldn't have, Rod thought.

"You know what Mark? How about you try to dress yourself." Rod left the room again and walked over to the living room.

His heart dropped once he saw that Nicky wasn't in the room, nor in the apartment. He had left. Remorse and sorrow filled Rod up like water filling up a pitcher, and Rod easily began to sob.

Reality had now hit him. Rod shield his cries with his hand covering his mouth, and he soon began to slide down the wall. With his knees to his chest and with his head hung low, Rod continued to cry, cursing Nicky in his head.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Aspects of Love

"Where do you think Nicky went, Rod?", Mark asked softly, careful to not upset Rod anymore than he already is. Mark was sitting at the kitchen table with a warm glass of milk as Rod was on the couch, surprisingly smoking a cigarette.

Rod rarely smokes. When he's smoking, it's a sign that he's in great sorrow and stress.

"I don't know.", Rod said, taking the butt of the cigarette to his lips again, inhaling and exhaling the smoke.

"Should we go looking for him?"

"No!", Rod barked. "You'll only get all filthy again. Just keep quiet and finish your milk. It's almost time for you to go to sleep."

"Why were you two fighting?"

Rod grunted. "I've already told you, we were not-"

"Yes you were.", Mark interrupted. "When Mommy and Daddy fight sometimes they raise their voices like you and Nicky did, and it was about me wasn't it."

Again, the truth scarred Rod, and he couldn't escape it. "You're absolutely correct, but it wasn't that it was 100% about you, so don't blame yourself."

"What was it about then?"

Rod now got up from the couch and lingered over to the window, it's pane being half shut. He stuck his hand out the window, gazing down at the city ground of Avenue Q, then he let the burning cigarette plunge down and down from the apartment's floor level. He kept his eyes on that little cigarette as it fell, picturing it as a human falling to his death, imagining his wailing...then came the second when Rod could not see the hazardous object anymore.

Returning to Mark's awaiting question, Rod said, "It was more about Nicky. You wanna know what he did, Mark. He kissed me."

"He did?", Mark said incredulously. "Like the dream he had?"

"It was never a dream, Marcus.", Rod said. "I really did kiss him. When he was a asleep I could not beat down my wild desire, it haunted it so, taunted me so. I gave myself over and I kissed him...and I kissed him some more...but I knew it was wrong to do this so I just stopped."

"Why? Why was it wrong?", Mark asked.

"Why was it wrong? It's completely unacceptable to do something like that when the person you are doing it to is completely oblivious to it. Plus...well I think you already know by now, I'm too in love with him enough to not take advantage of him."

Mark smiled brightly as if it was Christmas morning. "You do like each other! I knew it! I knew it!" The small boy got off his seat at the table and did an enthusiastic dance of joy. Rod couldn't help himself but to beam a same smile.

"You really think Nicky and I would make a great couple, Marcus?", Rod asked the five-year-old. "You really think we're an item?"

"Uh huh. Just by the way you would look at Nicky, you look like you have a big crush on him.", said Mark.

"Well...that's because I do, boy." Rod then sighed wistfully. "I'm not so sure about Nicky's side of it all. He just forced himself to kiss me, but I don't think he even knows if he does hold the exact same attraction for me."

"What does that mean, Rod?", Mark asked. "What does it have to do with all this?"

Rod moved forward to the kitchen table, insisting Mark to sit back down. "You are way too young to really get what falling in love comes with, Marcus. You probably only know that you parents love each other, but you don't really get what needs to occur first, and that is for the two people to feel the equal amount of love for each other. Do you understand?"

Mark shook his head. "Not really."

Rod figured that he had to explain the true aspects of love in a more elementary way for Mark. He didn't really want to do say anything about the matter at first, but Mark's answers to Rod's questions sparked some wisdom in the investment banker and Rod knew that he had to vent out.

"Ok, Mark. Let me put it this way for you. Let's say you like a girl-"

"I hate girls! They're icky!", Mark interrupted again, sticking out his tongue to express his loathing of the opposite sex. This made Rod let out a chuckle for lots of reasons.

"Okay then.", Rod continued. "Well let's just use any boy and girl as an example. For two people to be very happy together they have to like or love each other the same way. So let's say the boy loves the girl like he loves-uh-action figures, and the girl loves the boy like she loves-eh-playing dress up. Would they be equal?"

"No. They love different things.", Mark answered.

"That's correct. Now, if they both love donuts and cake, per say, would that work?"

"Yeah yeah! They can eat donuts and cake together!"

"And that, Marcus, is what can make a relationship real.", Rod said.

"But wait, how do you love Nicky?"

Rod folded his hands on the table, licking his lips. "Well, for me and Nicky it's different because we are older. Let's use numbers. I will admit that I love him as a 14 from a scale of 1 to 10."

"Wow! You really really like Nicky!", Mark said. "That's awesome."

"Now the question is what number in the scale does Nicky like me.", Rod said. "Until he ever does come back, we'll just have to wait and see." Rod looked at the digital clock on the microwave: 9:46 pm. In his head he pleaded for Nicky to return.

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter was short! Nicky will definitely be in the next one! **


End file.
